Good OR book/resource?

Specialties Operating Room

Published

i see where there are several posts with some great information about new nurses or 'seasoned' nurses going new direction and interviewing for or internships, or orientations, etc. what a wonderful place to find, so much experience and willingness to share!

i am one of those experienced nurses looking for completely different challenge for the next half of my career-have been more involved in 'business' of health care past 10 years or so, and a bit tired from the politics, hypocrisy (we want the best care for the patient, but only if we can still make money) anyway don't want to sound too negative, i've been afforded some wonderful opportunities and learned much.

but, ready to move on, to feel better connected again to patients, proud of what i am (nurse, foremost, not a xxx who is also an rn) and have enjoyed exploring options, researched a lot and am looking at an or internship. have had conversation with the recruiter, and know it is a very competitive process, they only accept 6 interns. they have a lot of applicants, including new grads who have been doing clinical rotations at this hospital.

i have an interview next week, and i've read all the interviewing posts-but what i'd like to also do for my own comfort level is do some reading. i see several perioperative 'primers' so to speak, and wonder if any of you can recommend a good read that will just add to the basic understanding of what i am trying to get into-

one concern i have is having been away from the bedside/clinical care a while, they will not take me seriously, or think that i have a clue of what is involved (i have been in management-almost no direct patient contact).

i am very serious-recruiter already had a very frank discussion with me to be upfront, and knows taking on this internship would actually require me to take a pay cut, as well as loss of the 'comfort zone' of having been same company for years, fully vested, etc.

sorry so rambly-but i see [color=#3333ff]alexander's care of the patient in surgery come up frequently; [color=#3333ff]essentials of perioperative nursing by cynthia spry-there are some that just are perioperative nursing, general overview.

i realize reading a book can certainly not make me an expert or anywhere near, but just think it would, similar to all the great thread on here, help me feel prepared to at least have the right conversations, feel that i am going in with both eyes open. any suggestions?

thanks-

sunnyjohn

2,450 Posts

Alexander's is the gold standard

Berry and Kohn's is another good one.

If you want one with only procedures (list of instruments, how to, no frills) Goldman's Pocket Guide is good.

sheluke

40 Posts

Thanks! I realized with a bit more research that Alexander's is what is used in the AORN curriculuum as well-so thanks for confirming that one as standard, and for the other options.

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